Rasam is a Indian soup variety comparable to clear soup. The tangy flavors of tamarind with the special spice mix acts as a great appetizer and helps with digestion. Carrot add a surprise element of sweetness to this rasam. I will be posting the different types of rasams that I make in my kitchen that my kids dig. Rasam saadam is their fav.
Rasam is an essential part of a south Indian meal. In a typical 3 course meal rasam sits right in the center between a sambar and thayir ( curd). Rasam is sometimes also severed in the beginning as a soup aka meal starter.
Rasa in Sankrit means extract. Rasam in the Tamil means a thin extract of thuvar dal spiced in various ways also known as saar, saaru, chaaru in other parts of India and mulligatawny soup in the westerns part of the world,
There are variety of rasams and rasam powder mix prepared distinct to each community and family traditions. The recipes usually vary in terms of spices, and flavors but the base remains the same to a large extent – Sour from tamarind or lemon, Spicy from – Dry ground rasam powder, and dal water. Below are some rasam varieties that I know off plus few I have tried as a variation of the basic rasam
- Milagu rasam – Pepper Rasam
- Poondu rasam – Garlic Rasam
- Takkali rasam – Tomato Rasam
- Kollu orange rasam – Horsegram Rasam
- Pineapple rasam
- Kandantippili rasam – Long pepper rasam
- Elumbichmbazham rasam – Lemon rasam
- Mangai Rasam – Mango Rasam
- Paruppu Rasam – Lental Rasam
- Mysore Rasam
- Vepampoo Rasam – Neem flower rasam
- Mudakathan Keerai rasam
- Strawberry Rasam
- Raspberry Rasam
- Carrot Rasam
Carrot Rasam/soup
Ingredients:
1 cups cooked carrot
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tbs tamarind paste or 1/2 cup tamarind extract
2 tsp rasam powder
pinch sugar /jaggery
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Hing
salt to taste
To temper
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Hing
1 stand curry leaves
Method:
- Grind the tomato and Carrot to a smooth paste
- In a pan add a the tamarind extract and turmeric and let it boil till the raw flavors leave.
- Once done add in the ground carrot mix and the rasam powder to the tamarind.
- Le the mixture boil well. Make sure the raw tomato smell is gone.
- At this point add in required salt and the Jaggery. Let it dissolve.
- Now add in some of the curry leaves and simmer the mix. The rasam will slowly start forming forth on the top.
- Turn off the stove at this point. Do not let the mix boil over as the flavors will be lost.
- In a separate pan. add ghee or oil and add all the temper ingredients and add it to the rasam
One thought